FISHING TERNS

It started off warm and dry on Saturday 1st but my walk along the Strood seawall during the late morning was interrupted by a shower of rain that had me sheltering rather pointlessly under a bush whose leaves weren't out yet!

There was very little wind and any sounds, songs and calls were able to carry further. As the tide came in, the sounds of the terns fishing could be clearly heard as they dived into the water with a plop. About five little terns and ten common terns were hawking up and down the Channel, occasionally flying off with a small fish.

There was little else to see during the high tide although 2 whimbrel were the only waders of note. A group of 10 brent geese flew towards the Strood from the Pyefleet before turning back. A distant marsh harrier could be seen circling to the east of the Strood causeway. Towards the end of the walk a fast flying falcon was seen heading rapidly over to and beyond Copt hall, which looked like a hobby.

The cuckoo was being very vocal, sitting up on wires near the caravan site and then later on the tops of the trees on Ray Island. Ten swifts were noted both up over the houses and sometimes down over the fields, accompanied with that summer sound of them screeching. A few house martins and swallows were also seen, some of the latter keeping 100 foraging starlings company.

In the fields 2 yellow wagtails were seen, 2 corn buntings were singing,as were 2 reed buntings, while the reedbeds in the dyke had 4 singing reed warblers in them. Two little egrets were seen during the walk. Also noted were 2 common whitethroats, lesser whitethroat and a handful of house sparrows near the caravan site.


The butterflies enjoyed the morning warmth although I wonder if a bird has tried to grab this speckled wood butterfly, pictured above near Firs Chase with a piece missing from it's wing. Other butterflies seen were the orange-tip, peacock, small white, green-veined white and several large whites.